It is well recognized that domestic cats crave scratching as part of their natural instinctive character. If a dedicated scratching surface is not provided, domestic cats will generally satisfy their need to scratch by turning to furniture, curtains and other articles which can be substantially damaged as a consequence. Often times, pet cats will not only climb over furniture, specifically upholstered chairs and sofas, but will use such furniture and carpeting to condition their claws through deliberate repeated clawing, pulling and tearing actions specifically with their forepaws. As noted, this clawing activity appears to be an irresistible natural impulse for cats and can be the source of great aggravation to pet owners.
There are a number of suppliers of pet and pet related products that have offered implements dedicated to alleviating the need of a cat to scratch. These include cat scratching posts and pads comprised of, for example, carpet, sisal, seagrass, rope and cardboard. In most instances, the cat scratching surface is simply made available to the cat relying upon the cat to seek it out on its own. To encourage cats to use a dedicated scratching surface, often times, a pet product manufacturer will infuse catnip or a similar attractant into the body of the scratching surface. However, being merely a passive post or pad, cats will generally get bored and engage in destructive activity which could have been avoided if an attempt was made to actively attract a cat to the scratching surface and to keep it engaged with the scratcher by playing upon the cat's natural curiosity to seek out and swat objects as they would prey.
In addition to a cat's need to scratch, domestic cats also require stimulation. Without it, they get bored which could result in health problems and associated unwelcome antisocial behavior. It is also well known to anyone owning a pet cat that they possess a natural instinct to swat, pounce and attack moving attractants and can almost be mesmerized by them for long periods of time.
Another drawback to the use of current scratchers and associated attractants is that they tend to be bulky and not conducive to low-cost shipping options. This is particularly significant as manufacturing has shifted to remote locations where labor costs are less than those in this country. Shipping costs have become an increasingly more significant factor in establishing product pricing particularly as it pertains to non-technical, relatively low end products which rely upon various unskilled labor intensive operations.
Typically, manufactured goods produced in Asia are imported into the United States on commercial vessels. These goods are not only manufactured but packaged at Asian factories and multiple units placed within cardboard containers or otherwise bundled in groups for placement within shipping containers which are, in turn, stacked atop appropriately configured vessels. The shipping cost per item is dictated by the number of such items which can be placed within said shipping containers as the cost per transoceanic passage substantially remains fixed.
Certain items, such as televisions, stereos, computers and semiconductor chips are configured with hard outer casings and there is little the shipper can do to reduce shipping cost. This is equally true for scratchers in the form of posts, furniture and the like as well as for cat attractant toys which do not generally lend themselves to efficient, boxed shipping containers.
Further adding to the cost of such goods is where such products cannot be efficiently packaged for warehouse stacking and retail shelving. Products manufactured offshore are first send to a warehousing facility for distribution to regional retail outlets. Relatively inexpensive goods occupy the same physical space as more expensive items received and subsequently displayed for consumer purchasing contributing unduly to their cost and ultimate retail pricing.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an effective cat scratcher and amusement device which can be efficiently packaged for shipment, storage and sale much more efficiently than similar products currently available.
It is yet a further object to the present invention to provide a combination cat scratcher and amusement device which is relatively inexpensive to produce, easily assembled by a consumer and which is effective in reducing destructive scratching of upholstered furniture, carpets, drapes and the like.
These and further objects will be more readily apparent when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.